The final transmission from the late, great trumpeter JAIMIE BRANCH was nearly completed a month before she passed away during the summer of 2022. On this "Fly or Die" edition, BRANCH sought to explore extended song templates with more vocals and a heavier, denser sound palate. And yet with "Fly or Die x3", the result isn't so much cacophany as deep esoteric harmony, meshing folk balladry, Latin jazz, psychedelic electronics and classical minimalism into a beautiful, organic whole. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Chicago trumpeter JAIMIE BRANCH follows up her stellar 2017 outing "Fly or Die" with a heavy, bracing sequel subtitled "Bird Dogs of Paradise". The jazz on Int'l Anthem runs the gamut from free improvisation to beat music to spoken-word social commentary, and BRANCH incorporates all of these elements to push her record further leftfield of even her IA labelmates. Careening between shambolic improvisation, percussive Afro-Latin grooves and into drowsily shuffling blues, BRANCH sets up a record unified by the clarity of its unapologetic message, a condemnation of American capitalism and racism. Plus, we get to hear BRANCH sing for the first time (she's really quite good too). Featuring fellow Chicagoan BEN LAMAR GAY and others from the local jazz scene, this is yet another choice release from Int'l Anthem. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!